Posts tagged sportswoman

Ladies and Football; Analyzing the big deal (3)

Interviews 1 Comment

While in secondary school, I had two close female friends who loved football and discussed it every chance they got.
I never knew a football match was scheduled to happen that day until they were discussing. Oh, well. It never did hurt me, so cool.
Except that my new roommate in a space of two weeks after meeting her asked asked me twice if I liked football. So the mind wheels got rolling on how and why women develop a liking for football. That is what this series is about + critiquing societal expectations.

Right now, I can name only a few football teams: Chelsea, Arsenal, Man U, Liverpool, Barcelona. Boy, am I brilliant or what?

I’m granting some female friends short interviews on this subject. I can’t fit them all into one post so its going to come in form of a series.
Happy reading.
The third in the series is here.

Odi
Odi is the reputable roommate who got this series started

1. When did you have your first football consciousness? Did you love it immediately?
I had my first football consciousness when I was 6 years while viewing the 2006 FIFA World Cup with my dad, uncles and my brother and I must say it was fascinating and I did love it immediately
2. Do you think having brothers or a father who loves football impacted your fancy?
I just personally seemed to love football and everything about it early on.
Having a brother made my interest in it grow as he made me play with him almost everyday during our childhood years because he usually had no one to play with. He happens to be the only male in four (4)children and the rest were not interested. We’d play different sports but majorly football. We even made it fun by holding tournaments and awarding each other medals.
3. How do you describe the reaction from both sexes when people discover you love football?
When I say I love football, the question that follows is “are you a tom boy? ” some even go as far as questioning me about my interest and football history so that they are able to ascertain if I’m joking or not. That is on a broad level though.
But individually, the girls are basically weirded out by it, some even disgusted, I remember the recent argument I had with some people and the reactions I got.
For the guys, it’s just expressions of shock that later turn to approving comments. Before now, I used to go to the male hostels just to watch a match I’m interested in. That is how much I appreciate the sport
4. I only watch it? Or I watch and play?
About four (4) years ago, the answer to both questions would have been affirmative but as of now I only watch and don’t play due to some circumstances. I have won various medals ranging from “man of the match” to even “the glove”. The most memorable moment for me was leading my house to clinche the gold medal during an interhouse sports event.
I play as a center forward which greats like Lionel Messi, Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku also play. I hope to get back to it real soon.
5. On a wild trip(thought), do you mind marrying a guy who has no interest in football? Do you think it weird?
For me, I would marry a man that doesn’t watch football as long as he doesn’t despise it or even interferes with me watching it. Who knows, he might actually love it along the line.
Bonus question: what’s your football team?
I’m a Manchester United man for life.

I think I’ve mostly satisfied my curiosity with this third one. Wednesdays post is a twist to the concept.
I hope you enjoyed reading this. Don’t forget to comment, and share with others.
As always,
Debby.

Ladies and football; Analyzing the big deal (2)

Interviews 7 Comments

While in secondary school, I had two close female friends who loved football and discussed it every chance they got.
I never knew a football match was scheduled to happen that day until they were discussing. Oh, well. It never did hurt me, so cool.
Except that my new roommate in a space of two weeks after meeting her asked asked me twice if I liked football. So the mind wheels got rolling on how and why women develop a liking for football. That is what this series is about + critiquing societal expectations.

Right now, I can name only a few football teams: Chelsea, Arsenal, Man U, Liverpool, Barcelona. Boy, am I brilliant or what?

I’m granting some female friends short interviews on this subject. I can’t fit them all into one post so its going to come in form of a series.
Happy reading.
The second in the series is here.

Ife
Ife is the second of those friends from secondary school. Ife is one person I think would never get bored of watching football even as a grandmother.
She answers…


1. When did you have your first football consciousness? Did you love it immediately?


Well I had it in Jss1. I think the match I fully remember at first was against Barcelona for champions league final. I went to watch with my dad and my brother at Kwara hotel that day because there was no light at home. Well as you may guess, we lost. I was very pissed that day because we deserved that match and the winning goal was pure ojoro…but you know things just didn’t work our way. Yeah, I think that was my first footbal consciousness, and to answer you next aspect, yes, it was very exciting because we were voicing different opinions to the players eventhough they couldn’t hear us. lol.
2. Do you think having brothers or a father who loves football impacted your fancy?
Yes ooooo….it definetly did, because we were always discusing every pass, drible, foul, penalty kick, corner free kicks and so on. Every messed up game a player was playing and every attempt at a goal too, if it was a good shot…we would all yell and if it was a bad one, we would shout at the player.?

3. How do you describe the reaction from both sexes when people discover you love football?
Its always a surprised look I get and an exciting smirk. The last champions league final that they played, when I was entering the viewing center gate.. those there were all looking at me like ???? what is this girl looking for here? The guy who was beside me was just staring at me whenever I made some comments or I shouted at a player, he was like “…wow”. He said it always excites him when he meets a girl that loves ball.
Well, some girls get picked up from there? and the rest is history.

4. I only watch it? Or I watch and play?

I only watch now. I stopped playing when I was in primary 5. We were playing football in the quadrangle of the school. The ball went out for a throw in, the ball got to my feet and I played a shot. It hit the daughter of a teacher straight on the head and she fainted. I was terrified that day because I knew I was in trouble. She went to report me and I was scolded. I told myself that I won’t ever play again.
5. On a wild trip, do you mind marrying a guy who has no interest in football? Do you think it weird?
Ohhh hell no! What’s the fun in that? Imagine on a saturday as a woman, you sit down, tune the channel to a football station and your husband is like what are you doing? He wants to watch something else…as a football lover, certainly you would be pissed.
So to avoid all that drama…..don’t get involved with a guy who doesn’t love one of the things you’re passionate about because it can cause wahala!
Bonus Question: What’s your football team?
I was born into an Arsenal loving family, so I automatically bcame an Arsenal fan…but I still love some other clubs like Real madrid, Barcelona, Bayern munich, Psg . I just dabble around some English clubs if they play well. over all, I’m an Arsenal fan to the core!

Aww, the primary 5 incidence.
Did you guys also notice Ife has turned to a marriage counsellor over football? She says to avoid wahala. ?

You guys know the drill.
Tell me, what do you think? Ladies, do you fancy football or you have teams just for the sake of being able to make contributions?
Guys, are you indifferent to football? Or you’re saying “please please please!, what’s the meaning of indifference?“
Final instalment in the series comes up on Saturday then something exciting the following Wednesday!
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Ladies and football; Analyzing the big deal. (1)

Interviews 28 Comments

While in secondary school, I had two close female friends who loved football and discussed it every chance they got.
I never knew a football match was scheduled to happen that day until they were discussing. Oh, well. It never did hurt me, so cool.
Except that my new roommate in a space of two weeks after meeting her asked asked me twice if I liked football. So the mind wheels got rolling on how and why women develop a liking for football. That is what this series is about + critiquing societal expectations.

Right now, I can name only a few football teams: Chelsea, Arsenal, Man U, Liverpool, Barcelona. Boy, am I brilliant or what?

I’m granting some female friends short interviews on this subject. I can’t fit them all into one post so its going to come in form of a series.
Happy reading.

Simi
Simi is one of those friends from secondary school that I referred to earlier. Till date, her whatsapp status is filled with football discussions. I just don’t get it. She answers…


1. When did you have your first football consciousness? Did you love it immediately?
I guess I had my first football consciousness when I started playing with my brothers since that was the only fun thing I could do with them other than from watching movies. And yes, I loved it immediately.

2. Do you think having brothers or a father who loves football impacted your fancy?

Yes, I think they influenced my love for football in a way because we watch it together and we even play together.
Infact I remember vividly during the worldcup in brazil that should be 2010 or 2014 my dad used to ask me to wake him up whenever Nigeria was playing if it happened to be fixed at midnight. Sometimes if he was the one awake he would come to my room to wake me whenever the match was about to start. At first my dad didn’t like the idea of me playing but he eventually left me when he saw how much I loved playing football.

3. How do you describe the reaction from both sexes when people discover you love football?
I have found out that only females with the common love for football don’t find it surprising when I say I play football. But guys?? I have had different funny reactions. I have got reactions like “what is a beautiful girl like you doing here?“, “I can’t believe you till i watch you play”. Someone even accused me of being a lesbian.
Infact the funniest was when I collected the award for the sportswoman of the year in my department; when the Mc called me to come forward for the award he was like “Please, what sport?” and when I told him football he didn’t believe me. He said I don’t look like I can play. The sport either has to be table tennis or volleyball or better still, I bought the award!”.
4. I only watch it? Or I watch and play?
I watch and play.

5. On a wild trip, do you mind marrying a guy who has no interest in football? Do you think it weird?
I don’t think I can marry someone who doesn’t love football because there will be no one to discuss or watch football with. So yes, it will be wierd. Infact if I am attracted to a guy once I discover he doesn’t like me playing football or he don’t even like football at all I loose interest immediately.
Bonus question: what’s your football team?
Football team; Chelsea and Real Madrid.

And that’s that! When I was reading it, I was thinking ‘just take me to that MC, let me see what he looks like’. What did he mean by ‘or you bought the award’!? Hian.
P.s: I might be football conscious o. I know there was a Karius or Kairus crisis recently. ?

So tell me people, what do you think? Ladies, do you fancy football or you have teams just for the sake of being able to make contributions?
Guys, are you indifferent to football? Or you’re saying “please please please!, what’s the meaning of indifference?“
What else struck you in Simi’s conversation? (Don’t even get me started on the lesbian assumption!)